10 must-try beers in MetroWest and Milford

Walking into a brewery taproom and looking at a beer list can be intimidating. There are so many choices, so many different styles. How do you pick just one?

In MetroWest alone, the 10 existing breweries and brewpubs have created hundreds of different beers, ranging from lighter beers such as kolsches and cream ales to big, high-alcohol beers such as imperial stouts and Belgian quads.

Here are our picks for the one beer to try from each MetroWest brewery.

Cold Harbor Brewing Company, Westborough

Indian Summer IPA, 6.5 percent ABV India pale ale.

Juicy. That’s the keyword a lot of beer geeks look for nowadays when looking at a description of a new IPA. Indian Summer IPA fits that bill perfectly – cloudy and full of tropical fruit flavors with just a hint of bitterness in the finish. This is an IPA for nouveau beer fans.

CraftRoots Brewing, Milford

Sommer Blanc, 6 percent ABV undefined style

It’s hard to describe the Sommer Blanc, except to say it’s good. It doesn’t really fall into any individual style. It has light hoppiness, with flavors of white wine grapes, a little citrus and even some grassiness. It’s refreshing and a unique beer.

Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company, Framingham

Goody Two Shoes, 4.5 percent ABV Kolsch

Brewing a good Kolsch is not an easy thing to do. It’s a light and delicate style where a flaw can’t be hidden by overloading it with hops or other ingredients. If something is wrong with a Kolsch, it’s immediately apparent. Goody Two Shoes is a perfect Kolsch, light, flavorful and easy to drink. It’s easily one of the best brewed in the United States.

Framingham Beer Works, Framingham

Big Boy IPA, 9 percent ABV double India pale ale

While juicy IPAs are all the rage now, this is an old-school double IPA - piney and grapefruit flavors from the hops, a strong malt backbone and a lot of bitterness throughout. If you miss the IPAs of five to seven years ago, this is a throwback.

Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham

Framinghammer, 10 percent ABV Baltic porter

This is a big beer. It has a thick mouthfeel, some boozy heat and tons of coffee and chocolate flavors from the malt. An award-winning version of the beer, it has spawned many off-shoots, Bourbon-barrel versions such as PB&J, Cocoa-Nut, Coffee and Vanilla. It’s a slow sipping beer and one of the most complex available in MetroWest.

John Harvard’s Brewery & Alehouse, Framingham

Brando IPA, 6.5 percent ABV India pale ale

John Harvard’s is one of those old-school breweries that has been around for years. But, it has realized it needs to evolve to keep people coming in, and the Brando IPA is a perfect example of that. This is a modern juicy IPA that will satisfy those who like a fruity IPA with little bitterness.

Medusa Brewing Company, Hudson

Duchovni, 5.5 percent ABV Pilsner

This is a good beer. A really good beer. Don’t believe us? It was named the best Bohemian-style Pilsner in the world at the 2016 World Beer Cup, one of the most-respected beer competitions in the country. Duchovni is everything a Pilsner should be: light, crisp, easy drinking, a hint of spicy hops, balanced perfectly with just a little bready malt flavor.

Owen O’Leary’s Restaurant & Pub, Southborough

Tall Plum Blonde, ABV unavailable, fruit ale

Blonde beers are often boring beers, but add the flavor of fresh fruit and things can change. The plum flavors are the star in this refreshing summer beer from the Rte. 9 brewpub.

Springdale Barrel Room, Framingham

Kriek Mythology, 6.5 percent oak-aged sour beer

Kriek Mythology is aged for up to a year in oak barrels before it is ready to be consumed. Brewed with cherries, this beer is tart with about a medium-level of sourness. Vanilla flavors from the oak barrels blend wonderfully with the cherry for a nice funky finish. If you're a fan of lambics, this is a must buy.

Start Line Brewing Company, Hopkinton

Marathon Wheat, 5.5 percent American wheat ale

Given the fact that it was brewed in honor of the Boston Marathon, it would be easy to dismiss Marathon Wheat as a gimmick. But, that’s simply not the case. This is a wonderfully done wheat beer, citrusy and floral with a bisquity malt backbone that combines to make a smooth, easily quaffable summer beer.

Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For beer news and photos, follow Norman Miller on Twitter and Instagram @RealBeerNut or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerBeerNut.

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